Irish sluggers ranked No. 13 in ESPN poll
Special to The Observer
The Notre Dame baseball team continues to rack up high rankings in the national preseason polls, as the ESPN USA Today Baseball Weekly preseason coaches poll has tabbed the Irish 13th in anticipation of the upcoming season.
Paul Mainieri's team previously has been ranked ninth in the Baseball America preseason poll and 14th by Collegiate Baseball magazine. The Irish return seven experienced position starters and nine of their top-10 hitters from the 2000 squad that posted a 46-18 record and advanced to the NCAA Championship.
Senior shortstop Alec Porzel led the Irish both offensively and defensively last season. Porzel's 58 runs batted in last season led the Irish.
Juniors Steve Stanley and Paul O'Toole are coming off strong summers in the Cape Cod League and look to provide much offensive spark this season.
Center fielder Stanley batted .362 last season with a team-high 29 stolen bases. O'Toole's offensive numbers stood out for a catcher. The backstop hit .302 with 8 home runs to go along with 16 stolen bases.
Ten pitchers also return from a Notre Dame staff that ranked 16th in the nation with a 3.93 ERA in 2000.
The staff is led by senior Aaron Heilman, who returns to South Bend after being drafted by the Minnesota Twins as a "sandwich pick" last June. The Twins' loss is Notre Dame's gain as Heilman has posted an impressive 28-7 record to go along with 12 saves during his Notre Dame career.
Notre Dame is one of two "northern" teams listed among USA Today's preseason top 25, with Nebraska ranked seventh.
Notre Dame opens its 2001 season by returning to the site of its last game in 2000, as the Irish will participate in the National Bank of Commerce Classic at Mississippi State's Dudy Noble Field, on Feb. 17-18. Notre Dame will face the University of New Orleans on Feb. 17 at 10 a.m. before tangling with MSU-which is ranked 17th in the USA Today poll-in a pair of 1 p.m. games on the 17th and 18th.
Notes
uDue to scheduling conflicts, the ND-Oakland game scheduled for May 2 at Eck Stadium has been cancelled. The Irish have filled out their 56-game schedule by adding an April 25 game versus Valparaiso (6:05 p.m., at Eck Stadium).
u*The starting times for all three of Notre Dame's games at the season-opening National Bank of Commerce Classic (in Starkville, Miss.) have been adjusted. The Irish will open the season versus New Orleans on Feb. 17 at 10:00 a.m. before playing a pair of 1:00 games versus host Mississippi State on the 17th and 18th (dates for those three games remain unchanged, with only time adjustments).
All Sports Stories for Friday, January 26, 2001
